Citrus ~ Winter's Zucchini Part 1 Lemons, Limes & Their Next of Kin
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Citrus ~ Winter's Zucchini Part 1 Lemons, Limes & Their Next of Kin Just as zucchini and tomatoes are the summer crops known to yield excesses, so too can many citrus trees yield large crops, all coming ready at the same time. This article will cover some basic cultural information for growing the various citruses, and then will provide some tested recipes for how to preserve your citrus crop for year round enjoyment. Seasonal temperature differences in your location can dictate whether a citrus variety will survive or thrive. The optimum temperature range for citrus growth falls between 70°F and 90°F. All citrus growth stalls when lower than 55°F, or when above 100°F, and some varieties also won't ripen their fruit when temperatures rise above 100°F. Generally speaking, citron, lemons, and limes are particularly susceptible to frost damage. Grapefruit, mandarins, and oranges have a medium sensitivity to frost damage. Kumquats and Satsuma mandarins can be quite frost hardy. If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-9 you can safely grow citrus outside with frost protection such as insulating the trunks with palm fronds, fiberglass, cardboard, or corn stalks stacked up to the main branches. Wrapping the insulation layer with plastic will also aid in keeping it dry during rain, but plastic alone will not protect the trees from frost. Microclimates within those zones can play an additional role. Placing plants against a white south facing wall can raise the temperature too high to ripen fruit, but if that wall is dark, it can provide the additional heat necessary to prevent frost damage. Few citrus appreciate high winds, but good air circulation can help prevent frost damage, minimize pests, and diseases. While mulches are valuable during the warm months for conserving soil moisture, during the cold months mulches actually prevent the radiant heat of the soil from protecting the citrus tree trunks. Scraping the mulch back from within the drip line and keeping the soil evenly moist during frost warnings will help protect the trunk and the roots from frost damage. Additional frost protection can be obtained by placing a 100 watt light in the interior of the tree, as will using a string of old fashioned holiday lights wrapped around the tree. [Note: LED lights give off no heat and will not prevent frost damage]. Timing fertilizer applications is also important if you are living in an area prone to winter frosts. Fertilizing stimulates tender new growth in citrus, but if it is done too late in the summer an early frost can damage the tender leaves. Citrus fertilization is best done no later than July to allow foliage time to harden off before frosts. Citrus are quite varied in their bottom line temperature tolerances before they succumb, but even those who live in the cold Zone 7 can grow citrus in pots that they can move indoors, to an enclosed atrium or patio, or perhaps in a well lit garage to spend the winter. While citrus are particularly suited to growing in large pots, they will all do best if they spend their growing months outdoors. As a moveable potted plant, they can be moved to suit your tastes and the best sunlight. There's not much lovelier than the year round green foliage of a Meyer lemon as a patio tree or a pair of kumquats in large glazed pots flanking the front door. If your trees should suffer some frost damage, don't prune them until you see green new growth pushing in the spring. All that damaged foliage continues to protect the main branches and trunk from further frost damage until spring. Once all frost has passed, you can safely prune off dead branches to stimulate new growth. Most frost damage is rarely noticeable after a season of re- growth. Lemons Lisbon ~ Citrus limon. This is the classic grocery store variety of lemon, juicy with few seeds. It is a high-acid fruit that develops well without a need for high temperatures, although the fruit will lose acidity if left on the tree. While Lisbon will bloom and fruit throughout the year, its main crop of fruit occurs in winter/early spring. Lisbon is a large, vigorous, thorny, upright tree with dense foliage. It is the most productive and cold hardy of the true lemons. Italian Lemon ~ Citrus limon 'Genoa.' Brought by Italian immigrants from Genoa to California over a hundred years ago, this lemon has a peel that is high in lemon oil, and can make the best limoncello you'll ever sip. The fruits ripen throughout the year on vigorous shrubs that are less thorny than others. Juice is perfect for drinks and marinades. With a spreading growth habit wider than tall, the Italian Lemon is a great choice for espaliers or hedges. More frost sensitive than Meyer lemon. Ponderosa ~ Citrus limon 'Ponderosa.' Ponderosa bears grapefruit size fruits that are juicy and acidic. The fruit has thick fleshy rinds, is seedy, but will hold well on the tree. For the size of the fruit, the trees are small, round headed, thorny trees with large leaves. The tree blooms all year, so it's a great option for those who want to have some fresh lemons available in every season. A hybrid between a lemon and a citron, Ponderosa is sensitive to frost. It is a good candidat for hedges and containers. Eureka ~ Citrus limon. The fruit are medium size, highly acidic, juicy, with few seeds. Eureka is a common commercial variety because it tends to bear more fruit throughout the year on trees that are moderately vigorous, open, and spreading. They are easy to train with far fewer thorns than many citrus varieties. A classic high-acid, flavorful lemon. Improved Meyer ~ Citrus x meyerii. Originally brought from China about 100 yrs ago, the Meyer lemon is thought to be a hybrid between a lemon and some type of orange or tangerine. The fruit is a rich orange-yellow in color, thin skinned, few seeds, very juicy, more sweet than acidic with a flowery flavor. Trees bloom year round and fruits hold well on the tree, which is an asset for year round fruit availability. It is a hardy, vigorous small tree to 10 feet that is particularly well suited for containers. If you love a true acidic lemon flavor for drinks, curds, pies, this won't be the lemon for you, but it has a unique flavor all its own that is worthy of its own place in the kitchen. Sweet Lemon ~ Citrus limetta. Popular in the Mediterranean and India. Very mild, watery lemon flavor, with no acid. ~Hot Packed Citrus Marmalade~ without added pectin Yield: 3 - 4 half-pint jars Note: When peeling citrus fruits for marmalades, be sure to include a little of the white membrane found just under the skin. Save the seeds from the fruits and place them in a tea ball or tied in cheese cloth and add when cooking marmalade. This is where most of the pectin is located. ¾ cup grapefruit peel (from grapefruit) ¾ cup orange peel (1 orange) 1/3 cup lemon peel (1 lemon) 1 quart cold water pulp of 1 grapefruit pulp of 4 medium-sized oranges 2 cups boiling water 3 cups sugar Procedure: Wash, then sterilize canning jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's directions. To Prepare Fruit — Wash and peel fruit. Cut peel in thin strips into a saucepan. Add cold water and simmer, covered, until tender (about 30 minutes). Drain. Remove seeds and membrane from peeled fruit. Cut fruit into small pieces. To Make Marmalade — Combine peel and fruit in saucepan, add boiling water and sugar. Boil rapidly over high heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature measures 8°F above the boiling point of water (220°F at sea level), about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; skim. Pour hot marmalade into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner: 5 minutes at 0 - 1,000 ft., 10 minutes at 1,001 - 6,000 ft., 15 minutes above 6,000 ft. Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation ~Frozen Meyer Lemon Curd~ Yield 2 half pints 6 egg yolks 1 cup sugar 3 Meyer lemons, juiced (you should get a generous 1/2 cup. Make sure to strain it, to ensure you get all the seeds) zest from the juiced lemons 1 stick of butter, cut into chunks 1. In a small, heavy bottom pot over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. 2. Add the lemon juice and zest and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as not to aerate the curd. 3. Stir continually for 10-15 minutes, adjusting the heat as you go to ensure that it does not boil. 4. Your curd is done when it has thickened and coats the back of the spoon. 5. When you determine that it's finished, drop in the butter and stir until melted. 6. Position a fine mesh sieve over a glass or stainless steel bowl and pour the curd through it, to remove any bits of cooked egg. Whisk in the zest. 7. Pour the curd into two prepared half pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace, secure lids. 8. Freeze. 9. Eat on toast, stirred into plain yogurt, or straight from the jar with a spoon. Source: Note: For years I've canned my citrus curds, with lackluster results. It never really had the same lovely thick consistency of fresh cooked curd.